Method of and apparatus for treating and handling fibrous pulp



March 12, 1929. J, w Y I v 1,704,706

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING AND HANDLING rmnous PULP Original Filed Nov. 9. 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 6 P1133005 PQLP arch 12, 1929.

J B.- HAWLEY mmuon OF AND APPARATUS FOR TREATINQ AND mmmu z sneets-sne'ev 2 Original Filed Nov. 9. 1921 wi l??? f Patented Meir. l2; i929.

sunrrnn star-as earner BARNUM HAWLEY, 01F EVANSTON, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN' MEN'IS, TO ARVEY MANUFACTURING ('10., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

I METHOD-F AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING AND HAIEDLING FIBRO'U'S PULP.

Application filed November 9, 1921, Serial No. 513,888. Renewed August 17, 1928 This invention-relates to amethod and apparatus for treating and handling fibrous pulp in the manufacture of wall board, binder board, container board, pulp board, fibrous 5 board and other articles of a similar nature.

Among the objects of this invention is to provide an improved method and apparatus for treating and handling fibrouspulp, in which pulp may be pressed to any degreeof density, and the fibres during the process of treatment be caused to arrange themselves in crisscross relation to each other in interlaced formation, and' remove the tendency of the completed sheet or board to split or separate in horizontal planes, as do the sheets produced in the old methods of forming the fiber sheets on a rotating cylinder, and cutting the completed roll transversely to lay same out fiat; further to so arrange and position the various vats and press with relation to each other with intervening transfer means to permit handling of the pulp in the most efficient manner and, with minimum loss of time, maximum. economy, and with the production of a stronger board than heretofore possible; further to provide a novel means for transferring the wet board from the vat to the press; further to provide an improved form and arrangement of'vat and means for interlacing the pulp in sheet form; further to provide a more simple, economical and eflicaceous apparatus and method of the kind described than heretofore known; and such further objects, advantages and capabilities as willlater more fully appear.

By the present invention, I am able toob- 'tain any thickness and density desired in binders board, as compared with the old methods of manufacture by use of the wet 40 machine, in which the thickness and-density is limited. In this invention by keeping the density to the minimum, a board of great bulk and light weight can be easily produced for insulating purposes; while by increasing the pressure applied maximum density will be obtained to produce a board of great stilfness and strength. Also by providing drainage on both sides of the pressing surfaces, the maximum amount of water can be extracted and maximum density secured, which density can be further increased by putting the boards through calendering rolls after being dried. This invention simplifies and cheapens the drying operation, due to a more 6. complete extraction of the water, which enables a more complete pressing and eliminate danger of cracking of the board under high pressure. This method also lends itself more thoroughly to automatic operation to enable the elimination of labor of taking ofi the rolls as is necessary in the old wet form, with its consequent requirement for excessive han-.

-dling. I Fulp boards made under the present invention are less apt to split, since the pulp is uniform throughout, and there are no sep-.. arate layersto become separated from each other.

My invention further resides in the combmation, construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and while I haveshown therein a pre ferred embodiment of apparatus for reducing to practice the. method disclosed herein, I wish the same to be understood as illustrative only, and not as limiting the scope of my I invention.

In the drawings Fig. 1 1s a plan view of my improved ap-.

paratus.

Fig.2 is a side elevation of the same, with a portion of one of the vats shown in cross section for the sake of clearness.

Fig. 3 is a plan View of the bottom of one of the tanks, portions of the successive layers thereof being omitted for the sake of clearness.

Fig. 4: is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken through the .bottom of one of the tanks. I

Fig. 5 illustrates several of the removable for simultaneous pressing.

Referring to the drawings, andmore particularly Fig. 1, my apparatus will be seen to comprise a plurality of vats 1, for the reception of pulp 2 (see Fig. 2) in thin condition. Each of the vats is provided with a removable bottom or tray 3, having formedvin turn are connected with the pipes 7,

through which the water is removed by any suitable suction mean bottoms of the vats stacked upon each other Mounted upon the ridges or projections forming channels or drainage grooves 4, IS a V perforated metal plate 8, upon which is super- 1 but which will retain the pulp thereon, which pulp due to the suction, the fibres of which pulp will be caused to be arranged in crisscross relation. This interlacing action is augmented by slightly vibrating the tanks 1, by

means of cams, or the like, 11, through the medium of arms 12, connecting the cams with the sides of the vet. its will be understood the arms 12 will be connectedwith the cams at points a little ofi center from the latter, so as to produce the desired eccentricity.

Extending longitudinally between the two rows of vats is. an endlessconveyor 13, comprising the travelling side members 14 and 15. Motion may be transmitted to this endless conveyor by any suitable form of gearing desired. Positioned in alignment with conveyor 13,-and at a point somewhat beyond the end tanks, is a press P, comprising the platen 16, which moves upwardly towards head 17, between which parts the pulp sheet will be pressed to any'desired degree. The lower face of head 17 will be suitably grooved to permit ready escape of moisture from the pulp sheet being pressed. In cases when the pulp sheet is pressed within the removable bottom or tray 3, it will be unnecessary to provide drainage grooves in platen 16, but should it be desired to remove the pulp sheet from tray 3 by lifting the same out upon the upper can vas sheet 10, drainage grooves canbe pro- .vided in the upper face of the platen 16.

These grooves being of simple formation, and merely to permit the escape of water, will be readily understood without illustration. In order, however, to indicate one form of such grooves, it is stated that they may be constructed similar to the removable trays 3, which are illustrated in Fig. 4.

, Inorder to prevent the wet pulp from being squeezed laterally from between head 17 and platen 16, I have provided thefour-sided rack 18, which may move upwardly and downwardly with relation to head 17, and as seen in Fig. 2, will occupy a position within the sides of trays 3, and prevent the wet pulp from being exuded from between the head and platen. i As seen in Fig. 5, several of the removable bottoms or trays 3 may be stacked upon each other and pressed simultaneously, if desired. From the above it is believed the operation of the apparatus disclosed for carrying into practice my improved method will be readily understood; The tanks each being filled with dilute or thin pulp will have suction apmit the body portion of the tray to be placed therebetween, with the tray flanges extending overand resting upon the sides 14 and 15. As seen, as the tray reaches the press, automatic means may be provided, as desired, to either remove the tray from contact with the conveyor, or to stop the conveyor, as desired, until the pressing operation is completed.

As soon as the first board has been pressed (it only one is being pressed at a time), it will be removed from the press and transferred to conveyor 20, for transference to the drying room. As soon as the first sheet is pressed:

and removed from the press, a second sheet in wetcondition will be ready and placed upon the conveyor to follow the operations performed upon the first sheet, which second sheet will in turn be followed by other wet sheets or boards in order that the operation may be carried out continuouslyv When it is desired to press several of the sheets simul-- taneously they will be stacked upon each other (as shown in Fig. 5} in the press, and the pressing will be completed at one operation,

ample drainage being provided between the several trays, as is clearly shown in Fig; 5.

Having now described my invention, I claim 1. In apparatus for handling and treating fibrous pulp a plurality of vats each having a perforated bottom, means for producing a' suction through said bottom to cause the fibres of thepulp to arrange themselves in felted condition, means for vibrating said vats to accelerate the felting operation, a conveyor Ill and a press for pressing each sheet of felted pulp as it is fed thereto by said conveyor.

2. The method of forming fibrous pulp sheets which consists in interlacing the fibers of the pulp into a predetermined shape on opposite sides of a conveyor, transferring the lit fiber shape from alternate sides of the con- .eyoronto the conveyor, conveying it to a press, pressing the interlaced pulp into pressed form, and'then drying the same.

3. The method of forming fibrous pulp sheets which consists in interlacing the pulp fiber into desired shape on each side of a conveyor, removing the shapes from said vats alternately onto said conveyor, conveying said shapes to a press,stacking a plurality of shapes onto-each other, and applying pressure to said stacked shapes to simultaneously press a plurality of shapes, and removing said pressedshapes from said press.

4. In apparatus for handling and treating fibrous pulp, a conveyor, a series of vats on each side of said conveyor, a removable bottom in each vat so that a bottom with its felted pulp thereon can be alternately removed from the opposite series of tanks and placed on said conveyor, and a press to which said bottoms and felted sheets are conveyed for pressing the same.

5. The process of forming felted fibrous pulp sheet which consists of felting the pulp in sheets on formers in vats, stacking the formers With the sheets formed thereon, placing water relief spacers between the tops of the sheets and the superimposed formers whereby Water may be drained from the top of the sheets, and pressing said stack.

6. In apparatus for handling and cleaning fibrous pulp, a conveyor, vats located adjacent the conveyor, each vat having a removable bottom upon which the pulp in the vat is felted, said bottoms being removable with the felted pulp for placing on the conveyor, a press, said conveyor and press being arranged for the conveyor carrying the bottom with the felted pulp to the press. a

In Witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name to this specification. 

